This is my go-to vegetable curry recipe. It's easy to make, but it packs a punch of flavor from turmeric, ginger, more delicious spices & fresh chiles.
dinner / vegetarian — Jump to recipe
This coconut curry recipe is everything I want on a weeknight. Scratch that –it’s everything I want… any time. I’ve been eating it as leftovers for lunch, dinner… I even ate a bowlful for breakfast the other day.
The recipe is particularly Monday night-friendly because it’s quick to make yet packs a punch of flavor. It’s filled with cozy, nourishing vegetables that will help you recover from a weekend of maybe… I dunno… too much pumpkin cake?
The ingredient shot above makes this recipe look more complicated than it actually is. Once you’ve chopped the vegetables and measured the spices, you’re only about 20 (mostly hands-off) minutes from a creamy, delicious hot curry dinner on the table.
I find this recipe really fun and soothing to make. There’s nothing better than this moment when the coconut milk and spices hit the vegetables. Of course, this moment will happen on the stove and not on the countertop, I just had to move my pot near the window to show you:
The ginger, cumin, coriander, turmeric, cardamom… it all smells so good! You’re going to have to take my word on it unless you can smell through your screen.
How to Make Coconut Curry
Most of the steps of this recipe are actually pictured above – it’s really that simple. Here’s all you need to do:
- Heat coconut oil in a medium pot over medium heat, add a chopped onion and cook until it softens.
- Stir in the butternut squash (or sweet potato) and chiles, and cook for 5 minutes more.
- Add the cauliflower, coconut milk, and spices, and simmer until the veggies are tender.
- During the last five or so minutes, stir in the green things and add squeezes of lemon and lime to brighten everything up.
So healthy!
Vegetable Curry Recipe Variations
This butternut and cauliflower curry recipe is very flexible, so I encourage you to use it as a template. Here are some ideas to change it up:
- Use different veggies.If you don’t have butternut squash, use sweet potatoes. If you don’t have cauliflower, then use broccoli. Green beans, carrots, bell peppers, and potatoes would be great here as well.
- If you want more heat, spice it up.Add extra chiles or more turmeric, ginger, cardamom, cayenne, or red pepper flakes.
- Vary how you serve it. You can serve this curry with basmati rice, brown rice, cauliflower rice, or even quinoa. You can also customize it with any type of protein that you like in your curry, or you can just make the recipe exactly as it’s written, a.k.a. my favorite version 🙂
If you love this vegetable curry recipe…
Then be sure to try myCurried Red Lentil Dip, Curried Cauliflower Soup, or Curried Lentil Soup!
Easy Coconut Curry
Prep Time: 15 minutes mins
Cook Time: 35 minutes mins
Total Time: 50 minutes mins
Serves 4
This is my go-to healthy vegetable curry recipe. It's easy to make, yet packs a punch of flavor from the turmeric, ginger, and other delicious spices.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 cup chopped yellow onion
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon coriander
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon cardamom
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 cups cubed butternut squash
- 3 red Thai chiles, or 1 serrano, or ½ jalapeño, thinly sliced
- 2 cups cauliflower florets
- 1 can full-fat coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, plus lime wedges for serving
- 4 cups fresh spinach
- ½ cup fresh or frozen peas
- Freshly ground black pepper
for serving:
- 2 cups cooked basmati rice
- a few big handfuls of fresh basil or cilantro
- Naan bread, optional
Instructions
Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft and well-browned, about 10 minutes, reducing the heat to low halfway through.
In a small bowl, mix together the garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander, turmeric, cardamom, and salt. Set aside.
Add the butternut squash and chiles to the pot, stir, and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the cauliflower and then add the coconut milk and the spice mixture. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
Add the lemon juice, lime juice, spinach, peas, and stir. Taste and adjust seasonings, adding additional lime juice, salt, and pepper, as desired.
Serve the curry over the rice with fresh basil, naan bread, if desired, and lime wedges on the side.
FAQs
Adding a sour tasting ingredient such as lime juice helps add another layer of flavour to the dish. It balances out the sweetness and gives it a sweet and sour taste instead. You can also use tamarind or white vinegar if you do not wish to add lime juice to your curry.
How to thicken up coconut milk curry? ›
Go to the store and buy some flour. Make a slurry (equal parts of flour and cold water), bring the curry to a boil and slowly add the slurry while stirring until you reach the desired consistency.
Can you put lemon juice in curry? ›
WHILE the curry simmers, cook the rice. ADD the chicken to the curry and simmer, covered, for a further 8 minutes. ADD the cornstarch paste and stir continuously until the curry thickens, then stir in the lemon juice and basil.
Is Thai coconut curry healthy? ›
Thai curries are usually made with a hefty dose of coconut milk, and that won't do your diet any favors. One cup of the creamy milk packs in 400 calories.
How to fix a curry that's too sweet? ›
Top Tip: If you've added too much sugar, you can counteract this by adding a few drops of lemon juice. In the hustle and bustle of life it is easy to get distracted and forget about the pot on the stove.
What to add to curry to make it sweeter? ›
A curry can be sweetened by adding honey, syrup, or sugar. These ingredients add flavour and balance to a sour or bitter curry. Add around one tablespoon of either ingredient to your curry while cooking and taste. Continue to slowly add syrup, honey, or sugar to the dish until a sweet flavour is achieved.
Do you thicken curry with lid on or off? ›
To thicken a soup, stew, or sauce, leaving the lid uncovered is ideal. "It must be off, or semi-covered, if you are slowing down the reduction process," says Stephen Chavez, chef-instructor at the Institute of Culinary Education.
Do you add water to coconut milk for curry? ›
Add coconut milk
Pour it over your curry pasted alliums, then fill the can halfway with water, swirl that water around to get all the remaining milk in the can, and pour it into the pot as well. Stir it up and let it come to a gentle simmer over medium heat, then give your coconut curry broth a taste.
What to do if you put too much coconut milk in curry? ›
Now just in case you want to get rid of the coconut milk taste simply add some curry paste(without coconut) or simply add some garam masala, this should get rid of the coconut milk taste.
What is the secret to a good curry? ›
Tips for the Perfect Curry
- Use fresh spices. For the best results, always try to use fresh spices. ...
- Give the spices a toast. ...
- Wrap up your whole spices. ...
- Blitz your tomatoes. ...
- Onions are the key. ...
- Don't overcook your chicken. ...
- Keep your garlic and ginger fresh. ...
- Add exciting toppings.
Thankfully, there are a few ways to fix a dish if you have added too much lemon juice. One option is to balance out the acidity by adding a sweetener such as sugar or honey. Another option is to dilute the lemon juice by adding more of the other ingredients in the recipe.
Why lemon juice should not be heated? ›
Here's why: While drinking hot lemon water is marginally better than taking it ice cold, the hot water may be bad for the lemons. It can destroy some of the enzymatic and energetic properties in them. So your lemon juice may be less effective.
How do Thai restaurants make curry so creamy? ›
Often, Thai curries are made using coconut milk as the main liquid, which results in a creamy consistency. You can use as much or as little coconut milk as you wish based on your preference for texture, spice, and flavor.
What is the difference between Indian coconut curry and Thai coconut curry? ›
The spice profiles are quite different. Indian curries tend to be much more warm and spicy, featuring spices like chili powder, cumin, coriander, turmeric, and garam masala. Thai curries are usually more aromatic and include spices like lemongrass, garlic, ginger, and chili peppers.
Does Thai curry use coconut milk or coconut cream? ›
The majority of Thai curries are made with coconut milk as the main liquid, which produces creamier curries, but they're not necessarily “rich.” The amount of coconut milk can vary by quite a lot, depending on the texture one is looking for: massaman curry, for example, is quite rich because it uses coconut milk and is ...
How do you neutralize sweetness? ›
How to Make Food Less Sweet. Add an acid or seasonings such as vinegar or citrus juice; chopped fresh herbs; a dash of cayenne pepper; or, for sweet dishes, a bit of liqueur or espresso powder.
Is coconut curry supposed to be sweet? ›
With coconut milk as one of the main ingredients, there is a hint of sweet flavoring as well.
How do you reduce the flavor of coconut in curry? ›
One of the most popular ways to hide the coconut flavor in your coconut milk is to utilize baking soda. Sometimes the big problem with using coconut milk in a recipe is that it will just be too sweet. This can throw off the balance of a dish and make it turn out a little bit wrong.
How to fix sauce that is too sweet? ›
Balance with acidity
Add some lemon juice: The tartness of lemon can help cut through the sweetness. Squeeze in a little lemon juice and taste as you go until you achieve the desired balance. Vinegar: Balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar can also work wonders in reducing sweetness.
